Rescue
by Lara Liralee
Summary: Warning: Please read my bio before you read this story.
1. Chapter 1

Lee knelt beside the admiral and lifted the remnants of his shirt to check the thick, bulky bandage underneath. The white surface was only lightly spotted with blood. Chip sat nearby, a pistol resting on his thigh, his finger curled around the trigger guard. He glanced at Lee, then went back to scanning the beach, watching, listening from their vantage point where the forest met the shore. Then he whispered a question.

"How is he?"

"The bleeding's stopped."

Chip looked at Nelson. Even in the twilight, the admiral's pallor was striking. The wet red of his blood garish and glistening on his clothes, and pooled beneath him. He glanced at his watch. The rendezvous was scheduled in 45 minutes. The admiral had lost consciousness approximately 5 minutes before. It was a wonder he'd made it this far before he collapsed. The rescue had met its objective-the captain was out of enemy hands, battered and bloody but still ambulatory. There was still time for them to follow Nelson's last direct order and make the rendezvous.

Nelson's last order and most likely his last words had ordered them to leave him behind and go. Chip sighed and scanned the perimeter again before he stood. Nelson's last order had no chance of being followed.

"I'll take him first," he whispered. "Help me get him up on me."

Lee shook his head. "You go on. I'll stay here with him until you can bring a party back."

"We can't bring a party back, Lee. It's not Ski and the guys coming, it's paid operatives. Mercenaries to meet us on the beach with a 15 minute window. Officially, we were never here. This was a one shot, renegade deal. We have to go, now."

"Then go."

"I will. As soon as you're ready to come with me."

Crane didn't respond only watched the admiral's face.

"Lee…"

Lee leaned away from the admiral and slumped against a tree trunk. He shook his head and put a hand against his broken ribs.

"I can't make it. You go on."

Chip shook his head. "That won't work, Lee. We both know better and we need to get gone. Now."

Crane's eyes narrowed to glare at Morton but, before he could speak, Chip stopped him.

"And, don't even think about trying to order me to go. If you can ignore an order, so can I."

Lee sighed and ran a hand over his bruised face.

"The bleeding's just stopped. You throw him over your shoulder and carry him, it'll start again. He'll die."

"Lee," Chip's tone was gentler, "he'll die lying here, too."

"Then, you go on and I'll join you once he's dead." Lee's voice was hushed but angry. Chip shook his head and sat back down and began to scan the perimeter again.

"Go!" Chip ignored Lee's whispered order.

"Dammit, Chip-"

"Lee, I won't leave you here. Honor, duty, friendship, so on and so forth. You insist on being stubborn or loyal or stupid or whatever? Well, so do I. The admiral's dying. I hate it and I'm sorry. But, it's a fact. Look at him, check his pulse."

Lee looked away from both Chip and the admiral.

"Maybe he does still have a chance, Lee. We can sit here and wait for him to die or for us all to be captured and make a huge international stink and him die anyway. Say by some miracle he survives, we're all still captured. Do you think he'd be happy waking up in a cell? Look at you, Lee. That's just the start of what we'd all get if they get us."

"We both know what the admiral wanted. He told you, flat out. If he has to die, at least make it mean something. How do you think he'd feel knowing he died to rescue you and you threw it away just to ease your conscience?"

Crane was silent a few seconds before he answered. "I won't leave him."

Chip reached to pull Nelson's pistol from his holster. He placed it beside Lee. His own pistol Chip returned to his holster. He knelt beside the admiral.

"Help me get him up and let's go"


	2. Chapter 2

Lee had shouldered Nelson's pack after removing the night vision goggles and compass. Following Chip's coordinates and map, he led the way. He began to falter and slow after 20 minutes. When he stumbled, Chip stopped behind him and called out softly.

"Whoa, Lee."

"I'm fine." Lee kept walking.

"I'm not," Chip said. He groaned as he went to his knees and gently laid Nelson on the ground. Lee came to sit at Nelson's side. He took one of the admiral's hands in his own and used his other hand to take a pulse. He smiled and looked up at Chip. Chip smiled back. Then he extended his hand towards Lee. "Let me see the map."

Lee passed the map then checked Nelson's bandage. "How much time have we got?"

"Change of plans. We won't make it."

"What do you mean, we won't make it? You couldn't have figured that out back there?"

Chip shrugged. "We don't have time."

"So, just like that, after we get this far, you decide we won't make it? How much time till the rendezvous?"

"Not enough."

"Dammit, Chip-" Lee moved towards him then swayed. Chip moved to catch him but Lee shrugged away from his grasp. Chip stepped back and let Lee fall. Chip dropped to the ground beside him and pulled the goggles up off his eyes. He rubbed his eyes and shook his head.

"Why do you keep on with them, Lee? They hung you out to dry. They wouldn't even admit you were missing, much less where you were. They were going to leave you."

"I knew that going in."

"You knew it going in. Well, great. That's just great. You knew that if you got caught you'd just disappear without a trace. That's just really great, Lee. You know what would have made it even greater? If you'd have mentioned it before you left."

Chip laid his arms across his raised knees and rested his head there. After a minute he looked in Lee's direction and spoke.

"There's a rumor Presidente Augistar escaped and has an army in the hills waiting to retake the capital. You hear anything about that?"

Lee smiled and Chip smiled back. Lee rolled onto his side facing Chip and raised himself on one elbow.

"How'd you find me?"

"ONI was no help. They just stonewalled, we know nothing. The admiral was spitting bullets. I don't know what favors he called in or who he talked to. But, he did find out. And, got the same as you. If he was caught, he was on his own."

Chip stood. "According to the map, the hills just west of here are crawling with caves. We can head there for cover."

Lee, with effort, got to his feet. He leaned into a tree for support as he spoke to Chip. "If you leave now-"

"I won't leave you, Lee. So, all due respect, Captain, shut up and let's move."


	3. Chapter 3

They made it to the hills and Chip searched the caves. He found one suitable with a large L-shaped chamber. After they were all inside, Chip re-covered the entrance with vines and branches. Once done, he returned to the injured. Chip handed Lee a flashlight and searched his pack.

"Hold this so I can see what Will has in here." He pulled out syringes, gauze squares and blankets. "He packed antibiotics, but no drip bags." Chip injected the admiral, elevated his feet and wrapped him with a thin, silver warming blanket then turned to Lee. "Your turn. Let's see the damage."

Chip winced when he saw what was under Lee's shirt. "What'd they do, have an elephant stomp you?"

"Close."

Chip gingerly pressed Lee's abdomen causing a Lee to flinch and moan. He shook his head. "It looks like the worst of it's internal. There's not much I can do." He injected Lee with the second syringe.

"How's the admiral?" Lee asked.

"Holding his own. How about you?"

"Fine."

Chip rolled his eyes. He began to rummage through the pack again. "There's some pain stuff in here somewhere."

"Not yet."

"Say when then." Chip passed Lee a canteen and Lee took a long drink. When Lee handed it back, Chip capped it and laid it beside Lee. Than he sat with his back against the cave wall.

"You know what I don't understand? Why ONI sends you off this way. They have a fortune invested in your training and experience. You're super spy and the Captain of the world's prestige vessel. You're important. But, they act as if you're totally expendable."

Lee didn't respond.

"Okay, I know you can't talk specifics. But, hypothetically speaking, why would an American agent be sent to rescue the leader of a south pacific nation? If the American could do it, I don't see why a native couldn't do it. I know it's important he be reinstated, especially considering who was behind the coup. But, good as you are, Lee, you're only human. Why you?"

"Hypothetically speaking," Lee answered, "If the American and the leader went way back and the American knew the language and terrain and had contacts undercover, it would make sense."

"Not enough sense. If there's someone undercover, they could have fed the info to someone closer."

"But, they didn't. They got it to the American because they knew they could trust him."

"So, the American relays the information back through the grapevine to a local."

"It doesn't work that way. You can't break the trust."

"I know it doesn't work that way for you because you just leave yourself wide open at their beck and call. Haven't you done enough? ONI will survive just fine without you, Lee. I don't know how much longer you'll survive ONI."

When Lee didn't answer Chip rose to stand over him. "Seriously, Lee-you're their favorite Kamikaze. It's a miracle you're still alive. They throw you to the wolves and half the time turn their back when you get in trouble. Enough is enough. You've put in your twenty plus years. It's time for you to retire and let someone else take your spot."

"I have a duty-"

"Uh-uh," Chip cut him off and shook his head. "You have a duty aboard Seaview. Enough duty to satisfy ten normal men. This, I don't know. What is it, a hero complex, a death wish?"

"We've had this discussion before, Chip." Lee's voice was strained and angry. "We don't need to have it again."

"Well, I think we do. Look at us. Look where we are." He motioned to the admiral. "Look at him, Lee. You signed up for the suicide mission, he didn't. You run off to play the hero, we pay the price."

Lee dragged himself to sit against the wall. "I didn't ask you to come. He knew better, he shouldn't have come. And you, you should have gone when I told you to. Talk about playing a hero, I told you to go. He should have kept his nose out of it and you should have left when you had the chance. You made your choice, don't cry about it now."

"Right, Lee. He shouldn't have come. Like there was a chance in hell he wouldn't. You know damn right well he'd never let you disappear like that without using everything he had to find you. You know it. Maybe ONI knows it, too. Maybe you count on it, maybe they do too."

"I did not want him to come."

"Well, what you want didn't matter did it? You knew he would."

"He shouldn't have been able to find out. Later, when it was all settled, he would have been told."

"He would have been told?" Chip shook his head. "Do you know how cold that is, Lee? Long after the fact, he'll be informed you're dead somewhere halfway round the world. Do you know how he feels-"

"He wasn't supposed to be here!" Lee had clawed his way to a stance. "They said-" Lee suddenly doubled over and slid back down the wall to his knees. He wrapped his arms around himself and gagged then coughed. Blood spattered his chin and dripped over his lips. Chip rushed to his side. When Lee began to speak again, Chip hushed him.

"Shut up Lee. Lay down. Please. Please, just shut up and lay down." Chip fumbled for gauze squares to wipe the blood from Lee's face. "This is not good. Just be still and be quiet. Please."

After Lee was settled on the ground and his face cleaned, Chip sat beside him, patted his shoulder and left his hand resting there. "Maybe this'll all work out okay. Maybe the whole deal can be done quickly. The general doesn't have loyalty on his side, just heavier artillery and imported troops thanks to our old pals the P.R. Maybe your buddy Augistar can make short work of it and we won't have long to wait. Listen, I might not like how you did it, but it's a good thing you did. General Balil and the coup were really bad news for here and for the whole world. You did good."

Lee looked over to where Nelson lay. "He shouldn't have come."

"You're right. He could lose everything he has over this. He was directly ordered to forget about it. But, you know him. He's a stubborn son of a bitch. All full of himself. And, full of crazy ideas about loyalty and duty. Reminds me of somebody else I know."

Lee looked up at Chip. "Me too."

Chip shook his head. "No, not me, buddy. I'm not the hero type. I just get pulled into the wake and dragged along for the ride."

He wrapped Lee in a silver blanket them looked over at the admiral.

"I wish he'd wake up." He shook his head.

"We did a great job disarming the guards of firearms. Too bad we missed the machete in the corner. It was so quick. All the others were subdued. The admiral had the restraints in his hand to get that last guy. But, he'd grabbed it and swung by the time we saw him move. It should have been a clean getaway. But, we missed the machete. At least it was quiet, bought us some more time. One shot and the whole camp would have been on us."

Chip took one of the flashlights and put it by Lee. He squeezed Lee's shoulder and moved to lie down. "Get some rest. Goodnight."

Chip woke in pitch dark. He tensed and listened, his hand reaching for the pistol beside him. Then he heard the voice that had woken him repeat.

"Lee…" Chip grabbed the flashlight and went to the admiral.

"It's Chip, sir." Nelson was struggling to sit and Chip put a hand on his chest to stop him. "Easy, sir. You need to be still. You don't want to start the bleeding again."

"Where's Lee?"

He's asleep. Here, how about some water?" Nelson drank then spoke again.

"This isn't sickbay."

"No, sir. It's a cave. We missed the pickup."

"How the hell could you have missed the pickup? You had plenty of time."

"Admiral, you need to take it easy. You lost a lot of blood. Apparently not as much as we thought, but still-"

"Lee!" Nelson's bellow didn't have its usual resonance but retained its command.

"Yes sir?" Lee's voice was a faded version of itself. The sound of it changed Harry's tone.

"Are you alright?"

"I'm fine."

Harry looked up at Chip who shook his head.

"How bad?" Nelson asked.

"I don't know. His whole chest is one big bruise. His gut's black and blue and distended. He coughed up blood. Something's definitely wrong inside. I wish Jamie were here."

Nelson moved to sit and Chip restrained him again.

"Sir, you really should be still. You don't-"

"How far are we from where I dropped?"

"About seven miles, I guess."

"Well, if I made it seven miles without bleeding out, I ought to be able to make another ten feet."

Chip helped Nelson to stand and supported him across the floor to go lay near Lee.

"If you're here to bless me out," Lee said, "It's taken care of. Chip beat you to it."

"Why didn't you tell me? We had an agreement that-"

"Orders. It was top secret and I was specifically ordered not to involve you."

"My clearance is higher than yours and if you followed orders, you wouldn't be here now. Or, is it only my orders you aren't compelled to obey?"

Lee didn't answer. After a minute of silence, Nelson's voice was calmer when he spoke.

"How could I not be involved? When you vanish, I'm most definitely involved whether you chose to tell me beforehand or not. It makes no sense them forbidding you to tell me. My clearance is as high as anyone's in ONI."

"I think it has something to do with the phone calls and visits. I've heard it's in my file now that dealing with you is part of mission damage control. When, exactly, did you take it upon yourself to dog ONI every time they sent me out?"

"They steal my Captain and interfere with my missions, damn right I'll let it be known I don't approve. ONI has thousands of agents. Seaview has one Captain."

"How often has it interfered with Seaview? They did bow to you in that. If they pull me off Seaview, it's something major. This is the first time in a long time the two overlapped and only because of the snag. I heard you were pulling strings behind my back trying to get me pulled for good."

"I repeat-Seaview has one Captain. They're too ready to put you in harm's way. I…" He paused. "I have a lot invested in you Lee. I won't apologize for trying to protect that investment."

Lee started to respond but clenched his jaw and drew up in pain instead. Harry moved towards him but fell back with a moan. He reached and took Lee's hand in one of his own. Chip appeared, swabbed Lee's arm and injected the contents of a syringe. Within seconds, Lee went limp. Harry was watching Lee's face and didn't realize until after the almost simultaneous chill of the swab and bite of the needle that Chip had injected him, too.

"Mister…" Harry only managed one word of his planned complaint, then was out.

Chip checked the dressing over Nelson's wound then arranged the blankets over both men. When he was done, he knelt there a minute with his head bowed and a hand on each man's shoulder. Then he stood and looked down at them.

"Hang on, guys. Hang on."


	4. Chapter 4

It was ten hours later when Chip woke from an uneasy sleep. Flicking on a flashlight, he stood and stretched then leaned over to check Lee and Nelson. Then he sat nearby and pulled a protein bar from a pack, tore away the wrapper and ate. He drained the last of the water from his canteen then picked up the map and smoothed it over his knees and shone the light on it. With a finger, he traced the route of a stream marked in blue on the map then unfolded it and traced to a spot almost at the opposite end of the map, marked with a star as the capital. He frowned, tossed the map aside, stood and walked past the bend to the mouth of the cave. Only slivers of sunlight penetrated the barrier at the entry and reached the floor, the only contrast to the absolute dark of the cave. He stood there a minute, just listening. Then sighed and leaned into the wall.

He nudged the dirt with the toe of his boot and watched the dust swirl in the slices of light. He checked his watch then walked back to the main chamber. Once again, he stood over his friends to see their chests rise and fall. He knelt beside Lee and placed his palm on his forehead.

"How is he?" Nelson asked quietly.

Chip sat cross-legged and moved his hand to rest on Lee's arm. Lee didn't stir.

"I think he has a fever, but not too high."

Chip looked over to Nelson.

"How are you?"

"Better." He moved to raise himself but grimaced and was still.

"Let me help you, sir," Chip said. He grabbed one of the packs and put it under Nelson's head to raise it a bit. From the other pack he pulled a protein bar and half liter bottle of water. Nelson took the water but waved away the food.

"Sir, if you could, it would really be best if you ate." Chip unwrapped the bar and held it out to the admiral. Nelson frowned but took it. Chip examined the bandage over Nelson's abdomen.

"We were just trying to stop the bleeding as fast as we could. I don't know how deep it went. But, considering you're better and it hasn't gushed anymore, I'd say it was just a flesh wound. No stitches, though. I'd hate for it to open up again." He looked back at Lee.

"Admiral, how long do you think it'll take the president to regain power?"

"There's no guarantee he will, Chip."

"I know that. But, with what you do know and saying he could, what do you think would be the least amount of time?"

"It's impossible to say with any certainty. There are too many variables." Nelson's hand brushed his shirt pocket. "Hand me my pack."

Chip passed it to him. Nelson removed a box of Marlboros and a Zippo. After Nelson lit the cigarette and took his first draw, Chip spoke.

"Sir…"

"What?"

"Will says smoking can interfere with oxygen levels in the blood, and you've lost a lot of blood. I'm no doctor, but I don't think-"

"You're right," Harry cut Chip off and took another drag. "You're no doctor and Will isn't here."

Chip was silent but pointedly looked from Nelson to Lee then back again. Harry glanced over to Lee, laying less than three feet from him. The arc's glow weakened as it spread from the flashlight beside Harry's knees. But, the light still caught the smoke drifting and hanging over Lee's face like a tiny fogbank. Harry scowled, stabbed the cigarette out on the cave floor and threw the butt into the darkness.

They sat there silent a few minutes until Chip suddenly straightened.

"Lee's contact! If I could get to him, he could help Lee. Bring a safe doctor or move him-"

"No," Harry interrupted him. "Lee wouldn't allow that. Nor should he."

"But-"

"No, Chip. It's out of the question and a moot point anyway. Lee is the only one who knows and he'd never tell you. He's protected the man's identity for twenty years and he wouldn't jeopardize him now." Harry glanced again at Lee then resumed speaking, his voice even lower than it had been.

"ONI, years ago, tried to force him to tell. They wanted more than one link to such a valuable asset. Lee refused. So, ONI manufactured a mission and shadowed Lee to find the man. Lee lost the shadow, fulfilled the mission, came home and confronted his immediate superior. He was told it was not up for discussion and dismissed under threat of charges of insubordination. At which point, Lt. Commander Crane jumped the chain of command to air his grievance. The head of ONI came home late one night to an unexpected visitor waiting in his bedroom."

"No," Chip said, smiling.

"Oh, yes. Admiral Hennessey had just sat on his bed to remove his shoes when Lee emerged from the shadows. Lee came to attention and began, in no uncertain terms, to state his case."

"You didn't hear this from Lee," Chip said.

"Of course not. Lee never mentioned a word of it. After he retired, Don and I were having a drink together. He asked me how Lee was doing and one thing led to another to the story. No specifics mentioned, but I assume it's the same contact."

"Lee got away with breaking and entering the admiral's place?"

"He's fortunate he wasn't shot. He circumvented sentries and a state of the art, supposedly infallible, security system. But, as Don said, he couldn't let him be hauled off to the brig before he knew how he'd breeched security. Lee told him that and more, a lot more. Don didn't go into detail. But, he did say there were reassignments and restructuring as a result."

Chip was about to respond when Lee stirred. Chip immediately moved to kneel beside him. Lee opened his eyes.

"Are you with us?" Chip asked.

Lee nodded. "Water…"

Chip got a bottle of water and helped Lee to lift his head to drink.

After he drank, Lee looked to find Nelson. "You okay?"

"Fine, to quote a friend of mine."

Lee responded with a small smile before his eyes closed again. "Lee?" Chip got no response.

"Not only is he injured, Chip, he's probably exhausted as well. Considering there's nothing else we can do for him, rest is probably the best thing for him."

Nelson took his own measure of rest that day, spending only half the hours awake. Lee woke several more times to drink and manage brief conversations. Chip expressed concern about Lee's drinking when they didn't know the extent of his internal injuries. He and Nelson agreed, though, that they had no choice. Lee couldn't go without and they had no other way. By afternoon, their supply of water was low. Chip gathered all the empty bottles and canteens together in one pack. The stream was less than a quarter mile from their location. Once night fell, he would leave to replenish their supply.

The time came and Chip went to the cave's mouth. He stood to listen before removing just enough of the entrance's cover to allow him through then stepped cautiously outside. He was drawing his first breath of fresh night air when a hand clamped over his mouth. In an instant, more men appeared from the dark. Chip struggled, trying to break the grips of the three men who had him-one on each arm and one that forced his silence. A forth man came to press the barrel of a pistol into Chip's chest. Chip was still.


	5. Chapter 5

Lee and Harry had wished Chip good luck and watched him walk away into the darkness. Only minutes after he left, they heard the rustles and thumps of the entrance's camouflage being tossed aside. They exchanged a glance and Harry grabbed the pistol at his side and pulled the blanket to hide it.

Chip appeared, his arms behind his back and a gun at his temple. Chip and his captor were followed by five other armed men. Almost immediately, Lee began speaking, as loudly as he could in his condition, in rapid Spanish.

"_What is going on in this place? The university assured us it was safe. We only came to document the ruins and it's been a nightmare since we arrived."_

"Spaniards?" the man holding Chip said, with a small smile. He looked from Chip to Harry, and raised a brow. Then he lowered his gun and motioned Chip to move to his friends. He was tall and displayed the distinctive genetic makeup of this island nation's people with caramel colored skin and features that seemed a blend of Asian and Caucasian.

"We are here to help you," he said, speaking in precise but accented English.

Lee nodded towards Chip whose hands were still bound behind his back. He spoke again in Spanish.

"_This is how you help? With drawn guns?"_

"For your protection," the man answered in English. "I have twelve armed men here now. At any time, we could have come for you. But, you have weapons too, no doubt. This was the safer way." He turned to one of his men and spoke to him in their tongue. That man cut Chip's bonds then he and the other natives left leaving only their leader in the cave with the Americans. He looked down to Lee.

"Augistar sent word to me to help Turi, his old friend who helped him. But, your other friends arrived sooner. We trailed you here, and have awaited the opportunity to introduce ourselves. Turi, I am Miro."

Lee didn't respond only watched the man.

"Caution is commendable, but time is precious now. Just as you provided diversion as Augistar escaped, a diversion was provided when you were freed. But, now they are headed this way and they are not the only threat." He reached into a bag hanging at his hip and pulled out a folded paper. He opened the folds to a sheet 18"X24" and held it for them to see.

The sheet was obviously a wanted poster. At the top was a large heading in the island's script. There were paragraphs written underneath the photograph of the wanted man. It was a black and white picture of Lee Crane.

The photo showed Lee's face as it was now, grimy and bruised. But, where now his face showed a week's worth of growth, the poster pictured him with a full beard and long, matted hair. And, younger, as if the photo was taken well over a decade before.

"Obviously, Turi, you have been a guest of the general's in the past. Balil has saturated the area with your face. Notice the reward is a fortune and the crimes heinous. It would be the duty of any man to kill such a monster."

He dropped the poster down to Chip who picked it up to study it. Chip started to speak, but clamped his mount shut and looked to Lee. Lee nodded.

"What does it say?' Chip asked.

"That this man, name unknown, is guilty of the rape and mutilation murders of four young women and girls. Unfortunately, the crimes are real. Perpetrated, no doubt, by one of the People's Republic pigs that Balil brought here. The first was committed not long after the first of them arrived. The picture is said to be from when the man was arrested for a similar crime long ago. He escaped before he could be identified or tried. But, an eyewitness and his fingerprints, found at both the previous and present crime scenes, confirm he is the killer." He holstered his pistol and put his hands on his hips.

"We are a dozen armed men against you three. Balil's men are not far and headed this way. I think, though, that you'd be happier captured by Balil than any village father. Whether you trust me or not, Turi, you have no choice but to accept my help."


	6. Chapter 6

Harry and Lee had been secured to stretchers for the mile long trek through the jungle. The walk ended still inside the forest's fringes. Twenty yards ahead, barely visible from their vantage point, was a dirt road. The bearers lowered the stretchers side by side to the jungle floor. Chip knelt between them. He glanced to Nelson who had his arms across his abdomen, grimacing. Then he followed Nelson's own gaze to Lee.

Lee's eyes were closed, but he was obviously conscious. Both hands were entwined in the stretcher's straps in a twisting, white knuckled grip. His breathing was ragged and harsh, drawn through clenched teeth. Chip reached to push back the hair that had been plastered by perspiration over Lee's forehead, wiped his palm on his pants then placed his hand over one of Lee's. They had sat there only a minute when the sound of a vehicle approached. Chip instantly reached for his weapon. He relaxed when he saw Miro trot towards the truck that had stopped on the road.

It was an old, battered pickup with high, wood slat walls around the bed. That wooden enclosure was piled to the top with a load of melons. Miro opened the tailgate then gestured, causing his men to pick up the stretchers and come forward. Chip followed.

The opened gate revealed a boxed space hidden beneath the load of fruit. It was almost the full length and width of the bed and four feet high. Harry's and Lee's stretchers were slid inside and Chip crawled in. As soon as the gate was secured, the truck began to move.

Twenty minutes later, the ride ended. As soon as the tailgate was opened, Chip emerged into a large space, one corner illuminated by a weak glow coming from a square cut into the floor. The glow revealed other trucks and work benches strewn with tools. A man arose from the light and helped Miro unload Lee's stretcher from the truck and carry it through the floor's opening. Chip and the truck's driver followed with Nelson then the trapdoor closed behind them.

At the foot of a short staircase, a heavy door was opened and Chip closed his eyes against the first bright light he'd seen in days. He was still blinking, trying to acclimate to the light when his end of Lee's stretcher was taken from him. When he began to follow, Miro stopped him.

"They go to the doctor now. We wait."

Chip watched as both stretchers were taken out of sight behind a curtained partition at the opposite end of the long, low ceilinged room. Then, he looked around the room itself.

The first thing he saw were the stands near the entrance holding M16s and, stacked beside them, crates of ammunition and explosives. A sink and counter and stocked shelves and cabinets lined one side of the room; five cots were against the other side. There were two shut doors, one on either side of the room. Miro went to a pot waiting on a hotplate and poured coffee into two tin cups then took them to a table set with four chairs and sat. Chip followed. He sat, took a sip of the coffee then glanced back to the curtain that divided the room.

"He is an excellent doctor. They're in good hands." Chip didn't answer. He ran his hand over his face then put his elbow on the table and rested his forehead in his hand.

"If you want to try to rest-"

"No," Chip straightened. He looked around the room. "Nice bunker."

"A result of the first time," Miro said. "You know about the first time?"

"Just the basics. You had a monarchy. The P.R. took down the monarchy and installed a puppet government. Augistar led the rebellion and the monarchy was restored. When the king died, you became a republic and Augistar was elected president and has been since."

"Yes, those are the basics," Miro said. "The barest of basics, but all true. The king was loved and respected and had led us well until the modern and more dangerous times. Augistar, as commander of the armed forces and adviser to the king, was our de facto leader long before he was elected. There are bunkers such as this throughout the nation. Augistar was determined, should we ever have to fight again, we would be better prepared. Augistar's own son died from a wound that, had it been treated, he could have easily survived. Too many good men died for want of a simple injection or pill." Miro abruptly changed the subject.

"What shall I call you and Turi's other friend?"

"I'm Chip and…" he paused. "And he's Harry."

Miro nodded then went to speak to a man that waited near the door. Intending to only rest his eyes a moment, Chip succumbed to exhaustion. When Mori turned back to Chip, he found him asleep in his chair, his arms crossed on the table and acting as a pillow for his head. Miro left him there and went to rest himself on one of the cots. Two hours later, the doctor came from behind the curtain to wake and inform Miro. Chip woke at their voices and rushed to stand by them. As soon as there was a break in the conversation, Chip spoke.

"What does he say? How are they?"

The doctor and Miro exchanged a few more sentences before the doctor walked away.

"Well?" Chip asked again.

"Turi has had surgery and Harry has been seen to. Harry is doing well and should, eventually, be fine."

"What about Lee? How did he say Lee was?"

"Turi," Miro gently corrected Chip. "For many years that is his name here and his other name has been safe. If overheard by the wrong-"

"Fine," Chip interrupted. "Turi, then. Just tell me what he said."

"He's holding his own."

"In other words…?"

"He has a chance. No one can ever know an outcome for certain. But, he hopes for the best."


	7. Chapter 7

The doctor left shortly after delivering his prognosis. Miro explained to Chip that the medic that had assisted the doctor was well trained and would stay to care for the patients. The doctor could be called back, but only if absolutely necessary. He had a local practice and could be missed and draw suspicion from Balil's informers in his village.

Chip settled into an all too familiar vigil. There were only the two occupied beds in the bunker's small treatment area. When Chip was ready to try to sleep, he dragged one of the cots behind the curtain and placed it between them. He was lying there, eyes open, when Nelson first stirred. Chip rose and went to his side. The admiral didn't wake immediately but seemed distressed, as if in a nightmare. Chip lightly shook Nelson's shoulder as he spoke to him.

"Admiral, wake up. Everything's okay, you just need to wake up."

Chip's voice seemed to reach Nelson and he opened his eyes, confused. His gaze found Chip's face.

"We're safe. In a bunker, remember? A doctor's taken care of you and you're going to be fine."

The disoriented look faded from Nelson's face and he nodded. Then, almost immediately, he turned his head to search the room. Chip stepped aside, unblocking Nelson's view so that he could see Lee lying nearby.

As was Nelson, Lee was receiving fluids via an IV. Unlike Nelson, Lee lay very still and showed no signs of waking. Harry looked back to Chip, a questioning look on his face.

"The doc wouldn't give odds. But, he's still here and he has a chance to pull through. You know Lee, sir-a chance is all he needs. He'll make it, he always has."

Three hours after he first woke, Nelson was on his feet under pantomimed medical orders from his non-English speaking caregiver. Assisted by both the medic and Chip, he walked the length of the bunker several times before being led back to his bed. Harry grimaced in pain as he settled in. But, when the medic tried to hand him tablets in a tiny paper cup, he shook his head and waved away the pain reliever. The medic set the tablets and a cup of water on a table within Harry's reach then left the partitioned area. Chip pulled a chair over to Lee's bed and sat, watching his friend's face.

"I wish Will were here," he said. "No, I take that back. I wish we were wherever Will is." He sighed and slumped down into the chair. "What I really wish is that he'd wake up."

"He will." Harry answered.

"I know. I just wish he'd hurry up."

As if responding to Chip, Lee murmured a low, pained sound and moved an arm over his abdomen. Chip sprang from the chair to lean over him. Lee was still again. Chip placed a palm against Lee's cheek and tapped his face.

"Come on, Lee. Time to wake up; come on, Lee, rise and shine."

Lee's eyes blinked slowly several times before they opened and looked up to find Chip.

"About damn time," Chip said, grinning down at Lee. "Welcome back."

As that week progressed, so did Harry's and Lee's condition. By the fifth day, Lee, with Chip's assistance, was daily doing several slow laps of the bunker. He spent hours at a time on a cot in the main room of the bunker before returning to sleep in the more comfortable bed in the back. Miro and his associates came and went and brought news of the battles. There were victories and defeats. But the war, on the whole, seemed to be a deadly stalemate with no clear advantage for either side. On their sixth day there, word came that arrangements were in place to extract Seaview's officers within the next forty eight hours.

The following evening, Miro, who had left the day before, returned to the bunker. Harry and Chip were at the table and Lee was resting on a cot. Miro greeted them all and told them the battles continued without much ground given or taken. Then, he went to Lee, sat on the edge of the cot and began to speak quietly in his native language.

Chip, his back to Lee, was engrossed in a game of solitaire laid before him on the table. Harry glanced over to the other two men and saw Lee pull himself into a sitting position while listening to Miro. In their time here, Harry and Chip had learned a few words of Miro's tongue and Harry heard in Miro's speech the word "sorry'. That only word he recognized was followed by a sentence that was an obvious question. Lee hesitated in his answer to Miro and looked up towards Harry. Lee's gaze met Harry's for only a split second before he looked back to Miro and nodded. Miro pulled a map from his hip bag and spread it over the cot. At that point, their conversation had Harry's undivided and unhidden attention.

Lee never looked back towards Harry. Lee listened, nodded and commented occasionally as Miro spoke and his finger traced over the map, pointing several times from spots on the map to Lee. Chip finished his game of solitaire and gathered the cards up. He began to shuffle the deck and speak to the admiral.

"Do you want-" Chip stopped speaking when he looked over and saw the dark expression on Nelson's face. Nelson hadn't turned to Chip voice, but kept his focus on the men on the cot. Chip looked from Nelson to the subjects of his attention then back again before speaking

"What's going on?"


	8. Chapter 8

Miro raised an eyebrow, silently questioning Lee. Lee nodded and Miro rose and went to Chip.

"I have asked Turi for his help and he has agreed to help us."

"Help how?"

"Help to keep heavy artillery from reaching the enemy army at the front."

Chip shook his head. "He can hardly walk. How the hell's he going to do that?"

"There is a ship from the People's Republic, armaments and troops and possibly chemical weapons, nearing the shore now. I cannot allow them to join the battle."

"Good luck with that," Chip said. "But, we're going home. Tomorrow," he glared at Lee, "all of us are going home."

Miro disregarded Chip's statement and resumed speaking.

"There is no way I can gather enough men here in time to stop them. This is a remote area; most of it has been a preserve for fifteen years. And, of the few villages near, all the men of age have left to join the fight. I, myself, am only here because I was sent to assist you." He got the map from Lee's cot and opened it on the table.

"This," Miro said pointing to a place on the map, "was once, many years ago, a plantation. When the P.R. arrived, they followed the old road from the coast to the plantation and stayed. When they come ashore now, they will have to follow the same route to join the others." Miro ran his fingers over an area on the map. "Here, there is a glen. This rise drops to the glen. It is approximately fifty yards to the crest, not steep, perhaps at thirty degrees. At the foot of this rise is the enemy bivouac. Every morning, they have formation there at its base. They should be joined by the new arrivals and armament by late this afternoon." He straightened and turned to Chip.

"Tomorrow morning, every loyal subject will be assembled to stop them. Women, old men and boys and my twelve. But, the enemy is well armed and will outnumber us at least twenty to one. In a direct confrontation, we have no hope. But, we have devised a way that we have a possibility of succeeding. Down this rise," Miro tapped the spot on the map, "we think it's possible to lay explosives undetected. Tonight, we will unroll wound charges down the slope. But, we must have a lure to draw them up the slope and create a diversion away from the munitions."

"This morning, the mother of a beautiful girl raised an alarm-her daughter has gone missing. She fears her daughter has fallen prey to the killer who has already claimed the lives of four girls. Desperate, she even went to the P.R. for help. She begged them to join the search, the wanted poster in hand, showing the monster's face and the reward. Tomorrow, at dawn as their formation is dismissed, this girl will appear over the rise crying for help. But, as she is halfway down, the killer will appear and force her back up and over the rise, out of sight. There is the very remote possibility some of the pigs would care to rescue the girl. There is every possibility, I believe, that most would hope to claim the reward. The more of them we can lure onto the slope, the better our odds become."

"Lure? Diversion?" Chip shook his head. "You've got to be kidding! Reward dead or alive plus long range rifles? They wouldn't even have to break formation to kill him!"

"On the other side of the crest will be my man in a PR uniform waiting to assist Turi after the detonation."

"You honestly think he'll make it that far? Say he did, you have one man waiting against how many?"

"At the very least, " Miro said, "there will be attention directed away from the munitions. If we cannot capture them, we may have enough time to destroy them. At best, we could be victors and use the weapons ourselves. It's a chance we have to take, our only chance"

"Then you take that chance. Without him." Chip turned to Lee. "How did you let him talk you into this?" When his question was met by silence, he turned to Nelson.

"Are you going to let him do this?" Chip asked.

During the course of the confrontation, Harry's suspicious and angry expression had become one of resignation. "It's not up to me." He turned to Miro.

"I'd be a liability, now, trying to maneuver a slope. But, I could handle munitions identification or detonation or a weapon."

"Admiral, please, you and-" Lee's plea was cut short by Harry.

"You've made your choice, Lee. You have to live with ours."

"But-"

"It's not up for discussion," Harry again interrupted Lee, commanding. "If you stay, we stay."

Chip turned to briefly glare at Lee before looking back to Miro.

"Your guy dressed as PR, I'm with him," Chip said.

"No." Miro answered.

"What do you mean no? You make him a sitting duck, I'm there as backup."

"You obviously are not PR. My man, in uniform, could pass. You could not."

"Once the hill explodes behind them, it'll be chaos. I'll take my chances."

Miro shook his head. "I'm sorry, but that is not possible."

"Oh, it's not only possible, it's going to happen. You're so ready to throw him up for target practice, why the sudden concern for me?"

"You must understand that the timing is most important. If the timing is not followed, we will fail."

"That's in your hands, not mine. How could I-" Realization dawned on Chip's face along with heightened anger. "I get it. You're afraid I'll try to help him too soon. That's it, isn't it?"

"You're his friend." Miro said.

"Yes, I am. And, I think this is wrong and stupid and all it'll accomplish is getting him killed. But, I can't stop him. And, if the only way to be there for him is to play by your rules, I'll play."

Miro looked unconvinced.

Without turning away from Miro, Chip spoke to Lee. "Tell him, Lee. If you didn't know I could dog a hatch on you, you wouldn't have me as your XO. Tell him I can handle it."

"This isn't Seaview, Chip. I don't want-"

Chip interrupted him. "Tell him he can trust me."

Miro looked to Lee who hesitated, then nodded.

"Very well, then," Miro said. "You take over that position. Do not forget, though, that it is my nation at stake as well as the life of your friend."


	9. Chapter 9

Silence followed Miro's admonition to Chip. After a minute, Miro moved to the cache of explosives. Chip returned to the chair he'd left during the argument and sat with his back again turned to Lee. Lee slowly rose from the cot and headed for the back of the bunker. Harry knew that simply walking was still a painful effort for Lee. But, he covered his difficulty well as he headed towards the curtain.

Yes, Harry thought as he watched Lee's progress, he covered it well walking a straight line to a safe bed. But, how was he supposed to race up an incline in a simulated struggle with the girl? He glanced angrily to Miro who was prying the top off a crate. Had the man even taken into consideration Lee's condition when he'd hatched the fool plot? Miro seemed only too willing to risk Lee's life on the slimmest of chances of success.

Miro gathered components to assemble the charges and brought them to the table. After he had three boxes on the floor beside him he took a seat. As soon as Miro sat, Chip left his chair and walked to drop down onto a cot. Miro sorted through the boxes, ignoring Harry's glare. When he finally did look to Harry and speak, his expression was sorrowful, his voice defiant.

"What would you do, Harry?" Miro asked. "If it was your country in the balance and you had the chance to save it, no matter how small that chance, would you not take it?"

As Harry met Miro's gaze he realized the question wasn't would he take that chance but how many times had he? How many times had he watched Lee risk his life for country, for Seaview, for the life of just one man? How could Harry look Miro in the eye and tell him it was wrong to use Lee simply because it wasn't Lee's country at stake?

Harry nodded in answer to the question. Miro reached to the boxes to begin his work. Harry stood and went to Lee.

Lee was lying on his back, his eyes open to the ceiling when Harry came around the curtain. Lee glanced to see him then looked back up. Harry took a seat on the cot beside Lee's bed.

"Admiral, please, if you're here to try to talk me out of it, don't. You can't. And, at this point, I'm afraid I might forget myself."

Lee's tone was angry and more. Harry heard the implied threat in Lee's words. Never, during their many confrontations and clashes, no matter how heated, had Lee ever stepped past his place as Harry's subordinate. Lee had never presumed upon their friendship, a friendship that had evolved to leave them closer than brothers. Now Harry was forewarned that, for the first time, Lee's control was in danger of slipping. As if in confirmation, Lee began blinking against the tears gathering in his eyes. He was wounded, in pain, on the eve of his possible, even likely death. And, his two best friends, instead of supporting him, were only making this last night harder to endure. It was no wonder he was at the edge of his composure. Harry silently cursed himself for his part in pushing him there.

"No, Lee. Just a question. But, only if you're up to it."

Lee turned his head to look at Harry, his expression still wary.

"I'd have trouble myself climbing," Harry said. "I know you're in much worse shape than I am. If the plan is to succeed, you'll have to run up the slope. Has that been taken into consideration?"

Lee nodded. "Some kind of shot they say should help me along."

Harry forced himself not to voice what he was thinking. That any stimulant strong enough to 'help him along' to that extent could, in his weakened condition, be as lethal as a bullet.

Lee watched for his reaction. When Harry only nodded, Lee seemed to relax and the guarded expression faded. He sighed.

"I'm sorry I dragged you into this."

Harry shook his head. "There was no dragging involved, Lee. I made my own way here at considerable effort and in spite of the obstacles you had in place."

"That's not what Chip says. He says I know you'll come and you're forced against your will to risk your lives."

"He's half right," Harry answered. "I will always come. But, my actions are my own choice and my responsibility. And, as far as Mr. Morton goes, he was most certainly not forced into anything. He insisted on accompanying me."

"Still, he's only here because of me and that could kill him. And you."

Harry knew that it was the lives of his friends, rather than his own, paramount in Lee's concerns. They had made Lee's mission harder, not only by their resistance but by their mere presence. He tried to find words to undo the damage.

"An old friend told me that it was dangerous to be too close to a subordinate, it could cloud my judgment. I denied it. And I was right. As far as Seaview goes. As far as my country, my loyalties and my goals are concerned. When you've been ready to sacrifice yourself in accordance with my ideals, I've stood aside. When you've been willing to sacrifice yourself as your own conscience dictates, though, I've stood in your way. Hardly fair, I admit. This cause is worthy…"

Harry desperately tired to order his words the right way, to say something that would assure Lee, ease his mind. The fact that it might be the last conversation he had with Lee, though, interfered and threatened to overwhelm him. Lee was looking up to him, waiting. Harry was mute for a few seconds. Then he cleared his throat and shook his head.

"There's so much to say. This is a fine time to find myself at a loss for words."

Lee raised an eyebrow and smiled.

Harry smiled back. "Rare for me, I admit."

"Tomorrow, Admiral," Lee said "After it's done, we'll talk tomorrow."


	10. Chapter 10

Harry left Lee and, as he passed the cot where Chip lay, motioned for Chip to follow him. Harry led Chip to the table where Miro worked and asked "How can we help?"

Miro explained and demonstrated the explosives configuration and construction. He and Harry worked together assembling the charges and Chip was assigned the task of carefully rolling then stacking them in emptied ammo crates. As they worked, Miro explained the situation and plan in further detail.

It was Miro's opinion that the occupying forces lacked real discipline and that would help their cause. The longer they'd stayed with no disturbance, the more lax they'd become. The commanding officer seemed to guard more against desertion of his men than any threat from the natives. His troops had become the eager customers of an elderly local woman who distilled a particularly potent version of the island's traditional coconut based liquor. Demand for the spirits always outstripped supply. This afternoon, she would be delivering a fresh batch to the barracks. It was hoped there would be lingering aftereffects from its consumption come the next morning.

There was only one lookout post carved into the horizontal center of the hilltop, manned by a single soldier. The lookout was relieved every morning at 3:00am. Immediately after the watch change, the new sentry would be dispatched and replaced by Miro's man. The explosives would be released to roll down the slope varying distances. The charges had been formed to simulate, and feel underfoot as, the naturally strewn pebbles and rocks. It was believed that, in the adrenaline of the moment and low dawn light, the knee high grasses and weeds would camouflauge the explosives. The man in the lookout post would signal the girl just as the morning troop formation was dismissed. She would scream down the hill alone, then Lee would appear and force her back up the hill.

It would be Miro's decision when to set off the blasts. The charge's fuses would be bundled and connected to four separate detonators. Miro would detonate first, then the others would immediately follow suit. Miro hoped that Lee could make it safely to the other side before detonation. They should be prepared, though, for the possibility that Lee could be felled or captured before making it to the crest. Miro's only concern had to be maximum enemy casualties. Harry and Chip had to accept that the timing was in his hands and not act, under any circumstances, before the detonation. If they could not abide by his terms, they should wait behind. Harry nodded acceptance. Miro turned to Chip. Chip's jaw had clenched as he heard that the hill would, if necessary, be blown away with Lee still on it. Glaring at Miro, he hesitated before nodding.

At that point, the preparation of the explosives had just been completed. Miro began discussing with Harry further logistics of the mission. None of these details concerned Chip. His role was cut and dried-wait until all hell broke loose and help Lee. He stood and headed towards the back of the bunker. As Chip walked behind the curtain, out of sight, Miro interrupted talk of the mission and broached a different subject.

"Sharing of unnecessary information or names is discouraged to protect the information and any named. But, Turi has already spoken of Seaview. Is he speaking of the submarine Seaview?

"Yes."

"Then you, Harry, are Admiral Harriman Nelson and Turi is Captain Lee Crane?"

Harry nodded. "And Chip is Lt. Commander Charles Morton, Executive Officer, Seaview's second in command after Lee."

Miro raised an eyebrow. "He doesn't speak as his subordinate."

Harry smiled. "Off Seaview, as far as Lee's concerned, no he doesn't. They've been friends since they were teenagers together at the naval academy. Aboard, though, I can assure you that Mr. Morton practices perfect decorum and defers automatically to the Captain. At least within earshot of anyone else."

"I regret that I cannot share this information with my son, Admiral. He has followed your adventures for years and would be substantially impressed to hear I'd even met you. His dream is to serve aboard Seaview. I've tried, without success, to divert his dream to a more attainable goal."

"How old is he?"

"Fifteen."

"When the time comes, if he's still determined, let me know. We can evaluate his interests and our needs and steer him towards appropriate training. If he's anything like his father, we'll find a place for him."

Chip came around the curtain into the more dimly lit space of the treatment area to find Lee lying with his eyes closed.

"Are you awake?" Chip whispered.

"That depends," Lee answered. "Are you done giving me a hard time?"

"Yeah. I've realized you can't help yourself. I've read about it-it's called DNA. It's in your genes. You have the pigheaded hero chromosome."

"I thought you were done."

"I am," Chip answered as he sat on the cot. "How're you doing?"

"Fine."

"Of course you are," Chip said, rolling his eyes. After a few seconds of silence Lee spoke.

"How are you?"

"Okay," Chip answered.

"I'm sorry I put you here, Chip."

Chip shrugged. "Like I said, you can't help yourself."

"Neither can you, I've noticed. That pigheaded hero gene-it's recessive in blonds. Not so obvious, but it's there."

"Maybe it's contagious," Chip said. "After hanging around you the past twenty years, maybe I caught a mild case of it." His expression turned solemn.

"Are you really up for this, Lee? I mean, physically, can you make it? Because, if you can't make it up that hill, that hill's still going up."

"I can make it."

"You better make it," Chip said. "I have plenty of sisters but only one brother. Understood?"

"Understood."

"Okay, then." Chip rose from the cot. "Get some rest. I'll see you in the morning."


	11. Chapter 11

Chip returned to the main part of the bunker, went to a cot and sat with his back leaned against the wall.

Miro glanced his way then looked back to Harry, Miro's expression apologetic.

"I hope you know it is with deep regret I risk Lee this way."

Harry nodded. He understood the weight of decisions that gambled with the lives of brave men. It was any commander's burden to carry the consequences in his conscience. Miro reminded Harry of Lee in a lot of ways. They had the same military bearing and focused will. Lee's dual mode of service, though, was rare. Were he a member of the regular armed forces, Harry imagined Miro would be leading troops at the front.

"Are you special forces, intelligence?"

Miro smiled. "I'm tenured. I am a professor of history and English at the Capital University. I was part of the reclamation effort and did serve, at Augistar's request, for a time afterwards as our defenses were reordered. That was through over ten years ago. But, during these troubles, I of course offered my service."

Harry was surprised to hear Miro's profession. But, not surprised he had been part of the reclamation. The nation's resistance forces had been admired worldwide for their ability and courage. After victory, the effort had been deemed in their history books as a reclamation rather than revolution. They had reclaimed their country for themselves and their king. Before Harry could inquire further, Miro changed the subject.

"Your president, publicly, has taken a stance of watchful waiting and admitted only moral support in our battle. Even if your country's declared role was different, it makes no sense to send an admiral to rescue a commander. For an admiral, indeed the whole senior staff of an American nuclear submarine, to be caught here would be a propaganda coup and huge bargaining chip. Not to mention an embarrassment to your president."

"I wasn't sent. Actually, I was discouraged."

"Discouraged? You couldn't have found him without help."

Harry nodded. "Help given with the understanding that, if necessary, I'd fall on my sword. Officially, I was ordered not to intervene and would testify the same."

"I see. I admire your loyalty, Admiral Nelson, to risk so much for one man. And, I am honored and grateful you will fight this battle at our side." He extended his hand across the table towards Harry. It was an invitation to a handshake and Harry reached to oblige.

"To victory, Admiral," Miro said and Harry nodded and answered the same.

"To victory."

Miro left the bunker to check the progression of the outside preparations. Chip went to pour a cup of coffee and stood at the counter as he drank. He and Miro had met under less than ideal circumstances, Chip with a gun to his head. But, Harry knew Chip's present animosity towards Miro was mostly a reflection of his concern for Lee.

"They're a lot alike, he and Lee," Harry said to Chip. "Put in the same situation, Lee would take the same chances Miro has."

"Begging your pardon, sir. But, in the same situation, Lee would paste on a beard and play the part himself."

Harry smiled at the exasperated tone Chip used as he described Lee's tendency to go above and beyond. When Harry had first heard Chip's antipathy for ONI voiced, Harry had chastised him for his attitude. The same attitude Harry had so recently cursed himself for. Harry's outlook on that particular subject had changed since then. But, he recalled, things had been different then.

Seaview had been in home port, halfway through two weeks of down time and minor maintenance. The crew had been given leave while Institute engineers and technicians handled the work. John Philips had left two days earlier for an anniversary trip with his wife and Chip was at the Institute tying up loose ends before leaving on a planned vacation of his own. Harry was behind his desk in his office when Chip knocked and entered.

"Admiral, I need to take off for the day. I'm almost done with the indexing. I can finish up what's left tomorrow or the next day. There'll be plenty of time now that I won't be going away." Chip wasn't happy.

"Is there a problem?"

"Yes, sir, there's a problem. Lee Crane."

The tone surprised Harry. He knew the two were friends, close friends. "What's wrong?"

"Well, sir, it seems Lee's been in Stern Hospital this last week. It was touch and go for the first few days. but he's pulled through and doing better. After last time, he's been ordered not to leave again AMA. They won't release him unless he has a place to go with someone to watch out for him and won't clear him to fly for at least five days. So, now, he decides to call me. No, correction. He doesn't call me-he has the doctor call me."

"What happened?"

"ONI," Chip said. "Again. It's not like he doesn't take enough risks, do enough as is. He's supposed to be a sub skipper, not a secret agent. So he has a freaky gift for languages-so what? I'm sure ONI has people fluent in everything. They use him way too much just because he lets them. They take total advantage and he can't see it. For a smart man, he can be pretty stupid. " Chip's outburst, its length and its tone, took Harry by surprise. Both were atypical for Chip and Harry didn't care for either the tone of his voice or his attitude.

Harry had made it a point to follow Crane's career after he left the Nautilus. Harry knew that Lee's work for ONI had helped fast track him to his first sub command and that his gifts extended beyond a knack for languages. He also knew how vital some of his ONI work had been.

"Stupid?" Harry asked. "That's what you call ability, courage and absolute dedication to country and duty? It's a shame then, that ONI doesn't have more men as stupid as Lee Crane."

"Aye, sir, I agree."

Chip's reply suggested he agreed for reasons outside Harry's own. Harry glared briefly at Chip before giving him an order.

"You drive." They left to go to Lee.

Chip walked into the room and went straight to Lee. Harry followed but Lee, sitting on the bed with his back to the door, didn't see him.

"You're laid up, critical, in a hospital just ten miles away for a week. And you don't call until you need me to spring you?"

"Did you sign?" Lee asked.

"Yes, I signed."

"Then, let's get out of here. You can drop me at a hotel."

"He'll do no such thing," Harry said.

Harry's voice startled Lee who, with a wince, shot to his feet. Harry waved him back down. Harry had only met up with Lee a handful of times in the last decade. But, each time, Harry felt as if he was reconnecting with an old friend rather than greeting a subordinate. Face to face now with Crane, there was also a stinging reminder that a part of his dream for Seaview had been denied. During the eighteen months Lee had served aboard Nautilus, Harry had shared the first plans of Seaview with Lee. As the plans took shape and form and became closer to reality, Lee had become part of Harry's plan. But, Lee had never even set foot aboard Seaview.

"No escape this time, Houdini," Chip said grabbing the small duffle by Lee's feet. "You're stuck with me. I'm warning you, though, next time if you don't call me beforehand, don't call me to bail you out." Lee stood and Chip had taken his first step towards the door when Nelson spoke.

"It's a shame about your plans, Chip."

Chip looked to Nelson, surprised.

"What plans?" Lee asked.

"Nothing, Lee," Chip said. "Just some fishing. Don't worry about it."

"The flight and the cabin in the mountains must have amounted to a pretty penny," Harry said. "Can you get your money back?"

Lee sat back down on the bed.

"Most likely," Chip answered. "Come on, Lee, let's get going."

"Have you told her yet the trip's off?" Harry asked.

Chip's surprised look renewed. He was a very discreet man. But, there were plenty of fish in the waters around Santa Barbra and Chip had never mentioned any company for his trip. He'd been seeing a girl for months and his destination was known as a romantic getaway. It wasn't hard to put two and two together.

"No," Chip said with an annoyed glance at the admiral. "But, I'm sure she'll understand. It's no big deal, I'll reschedule."

Lee shook his head. "I can stay here. You go on and take your trip."

"I'm not leaving you-"

Harry interrupted Chip. "The Institute guest suite's vacant."

Lee never made it to the guest suite. After arriving at the Institute, Harry took Lee directly to Seaview. He began a basic tour interrupted and lengthened by Lee's questions and Harry's answers. Within the first hour, Lee was obviously worn down. When Harry suggested it was time he rest, Lee resisted. He hadn't seen the reactor room yet. Harry realized, in his eagerness to share Seaview with Lee, he was shirking his duty of care. Harry ordered Lee to rest in a guest cabin for a few hours. When Harry returned, Lee wasn't in the cabin. He found him cross legged on the circuitry room floor watching a panel being rewired. Harry spent two hours with him there demonstrating and explaining the intricacies of the system. At the end of those two hours, Lee was obviously dead on his feet. Harry helped him to the guest cabin and brought both their suppers to the room. Lee's bag was delivered to him and he didn't leave Seaview the next five days.

Those days went by too fast. There were many hours of conversation and hours of Harry expounding on Seaview's operation and innovations to a rapt audience of one. And, talk of future plans. Harry had begun work on the flying sub months before. He'd only recently come up with what he believed a viable solution to the problems of corrosion and the dual propulsion. Excited, he'd explained his progress to Philips. Philips had listened with polite interest and made noncommittal good luck noises afterwards. As unenthusiastic as he'd been, Philips's reaction was better than the usually openly skeptical response from Harry's peers.

Lee, in contrast, had been enthralled as soon as he'd seen the diagrams opened and spread across the lab table. He'd questioned Harry, wanting to learn all he could of the design and intended performance. Lee hadn't expressed any doubts in Harry's ability to pull it off. Instead, he'd voiced a strong hope he could one day pilot Harry's invention.

The last day Lee was scheduled to be under care was also the evening Philips was due back aboard. Harry wanted Lee gone before Philips returned. It was no secret that Lee had been his first choice but he'd had to settle for Philips. John was an excellent captain. But, these last few days had driven home to Harry what he already knew-Seaview belonged under Lee's command. Harry believed it could prove awkward should John and Lee meet aboard Seaview. More awkward still if Harry's thoughts were evident on his face as he watched Lee leave.

Harry had an early meeting that last morning but had told Lee he'd come by to pick him up after. Chip had returned to town late the night before. He was to come take Lee home for the night and drive him to the airport the next morning to catch his flight. When Harry left his meeting, though, he found Lee already waiting when he returned to his office. Lee stood when he saw Harry enter.

"Chip's on his way. I want to thank you, sir, for this opportunity. Seaview's all I'd imagined and more."

In the bunker, Harry smiled. _All I'd imagined and more. _Lee's words, spoken years ago, echoed Harry's experience of these past two years Lee had served as Seaview's Captain. He remembered how he'd felt the first time he'd boarded Seaview after Lee's departure from his first, brief stay. Something felt missing that day, and had stayed missing until Lee had assumed command. Their present reality loomed suddenly in Harry's thoughts- the possibility, even likelihood he'd return this time to Seaview without Lee or Chip or both. His smile fell away.


	12. Chapter 12

Chip sipped coffee and glanced toward the admiral. Nelson's attention seemed focused elsewhere, as if he were lost in thought. Chip had overheard Miro and Nelson's conversation. He knew Nelson was right-Lee and Miro favored one another in many ways. Chip shouldn't hold a grudge against Miro because Lee was acting true to his nature. He knew, too, that he shouldn't go off like one of his sisters on a bad day every time Lee and ONI crossed paths. But, it was a knee jerk reaction embedded after witnessing the fallout from the first time. If Lee had freely chosen that path, maybe it would be different. But, as far as Chip was concerned, Lee had been shanghaied.

When first approached, Lee had respectfully declined; he had no interest in espionage, not even just the once as a translator. But, they'd returned and had found his weakness, stuck the knife in and twisted. They'd used his sense of duty and obligation as a weapon against him-his country needed him.

Chip had pointed out to Lee, as his resistance wavered, that his country already had him-signed, sealed and delivered for at least the next eight years. But, Lee had caved and that supposed 'just this once' assignment had become a life altering, life threatening, ongoing commitment.

Trying to head off the bitterness and anger that memories of that first mission provoked, Chip forced the thoughts away. He glanced back to the admiral, but quickly looked away. The naked despair on the admiral's face struck Chip worse than a physical blow. The same dread was churning inside Chip and seeing it reflected in the admiral almost brought it to the surface. No one put up a stronger front than Nelson. If Nelson lost his front, Chip had no hope of maintaining his own.

Nelson had always seemed indomitable; he never wavered, even in the face of death. It hadn't been that long ago he'd lost a Captain and a comrade. John Philips's death had hit them all hard. He had been mourned and missed and remembered. Philips had been an excellent Captain and a good man. But, Philips wasn't Lee. They had mourned Philips, but not with the grief foreshadowed and just glimpsed by Chip in Nelson's unguarded moment. Chip felt a twinge of guilt, as if it was disrespectful of Philip's memory to admit how much worse it would be to lose Lee. And, as devastating a loss as it would be for Chip, Chip knew it would be an equally huge loss for Nelson.

Since Lee's days on the Nautilus, Chip had known of Lee's admiration of Nelson. It was natural for a man to look up to his mentor. Just as it was natural for a mentor to have an interest in his protégé's progress. It had never occurred to Chip that their bond went any deeper than that. Chip remembered when he'd first realized Nelson considered Lee more than just the best Captain for Seaview.

It was soon after Lee had taken command. Nelson was behind his desk in his cabin; Lee and Chip were seated before him. They'd been discussing the logistics of the upcoming mission. At the conclusion of official business, the conversation had drifted and wound its way to the relative merits and modification possibilities of two different makes of wooden hulled sailboats. The admiral and the captain disagreed on the best candidate. As the discussion became more spirited, the more uncomfortable Chip became. Junior officers did not have spirited discussions with Admiral Nelson.

Nelson had opened a desk drawer and rummaged through its contents for a brochure to illustrate a point. As he pulled it from the desk, Lee rose from his seat, plopped his rear on Nelson's desk and his palm flat on a stack of folders. Lee then leaned across the desk, breaching what Chip considered any safe perimeter of Nelson's personal space. Chip had cringed waiting for Nelson's response. But, there was no break in the discussion and Nelson didn't seem to notice that Lee was perched on his desk, his face less than a foot from Nelson's.

There was more than desk perching unique about Lee's tenure as Captain. Just as Lee was comfortable arguing inconsequential matters such as sailboat design with Nelson, he was totally unintimidated and very vocal when insisting he, as Captain of Seaview, would follow his own mind rather than defer to the admiral in matters of her safety and crew.

Chip had witnessed a couple of their confrontations behind cabin doors before Lee and Nelson first crossed swords in the control room. In spite of the situation, Chip had had to fight to keep his professional and detached demeanor in place as he watched the crew's reaction. The jaw dropping had been almost audible.

In an ironic evolution, Nelson had actually mellowed the last couple of years. As if Lee's tendency to stand his ground and give as good as he took diffused Nelson's temper in general. Besides having a willing verbal sparring partner to vent his frustrations and check his sometimes ill advised scientific enthusiasms and guests, Nelson had found a listener in Lee. Most surprising to Chip was how willing a listener Lee was.

Lee was actually interested as Nelson went on and on about his latest experiment or theory or design. When those sessions began in the wardroom over coffee or in the nose over drinks during their off duty hours, Chip usually excused himself. He'd wander by periodically, hoping the talk had turned to conversation rather than dissertation. Because, the conversations were another thing entirely.

Chip had always had a great deal of respect for Nelson. They had an excellent working relationship, liked one another and were friendly enough considering the disparity in their ranks and ages. But, never, before Lee had come aboard, had Chip enjoyed Nelson's company as he did in those times the three of them were together off duty. Nelson told great stories, especially after he had a couple of drinks under his belt. Chip enjoyed a side of the admiral he hadn't seen before-simply a man relaxing in the company of his closest friend.

Chip was welcomed into their conversations and freely joined in. He knew, though, that it was Lee who'd opened the door and revealed that side of the admiral. If the admiral sat alone in the nose, Chip wouldn't stop without invitation to sit and just shoot the breeze. No more than he'd take a seat on the corner of Nelson's desk.

Lee was best friend and more to both Chip and Nelson-he was family, an irreplacable part of both their lives. Chip didn't want to imagine returning to Seaview without him. She'd be a ghost ship, haunted by thier loss. Lee would survive the next dawn, Chip told himself. He'd survived worse and he'd survive tomorrow.


	13. Chapter 13

Nelson lit a cigarette. Chip glanced his way then picked up the coffee can filled with sand that served as an ashtray and set it on the table. Nelson nodded thanks. Chip took a seat and looked towards the nearly emptied gun racks, his gaze lingering on the few rifles still there, now fixed with bayonets.

"I could never be infantry," Chip said.

"Most infantrymen would say the same of a submariner," Harry said. "Cramped and confined underwater. When I was Captain, a Colonel wearing a Distinguished Service Cross ribbon was part of a contingent visiting Nautilus. The minute his foot hit the control room floor, he couldn't breathe."

Chip was silent a few seconds, his eyes still towards the rifles. He turned to Nelson.

"You've seen combat," Chip said.

Harry nodded. "So have you."

"Limited engagements at sea and landing party skirmishes. I mean actual, full fledged, landed, hand to hand combat. That's different."

"How?" Harry asked.

"At sea, it's been from a distance. The other, it was small scale, over and done before you had much time to think about it. Nothing like…" Chip paused before continuing.

"Nothing like seeing hundreds of men blown to bits yards away from you and the survivors charging with fixed bayonets."

"A man's just as dead killed by a torpedo as by a landmine," Harry said. "It's just not so close and ugly on the surface. And, any man that can stand steady while taking fire underwater, knowing any second a hit could rupture the hull-he could certainly face a bayonet."

"What about the claustrophobic Colonel?" Chip countered. "He was a hero but couldn't handle a sub."

"Not as part of a ceremonial delegation. Under fire, he'd have managed."

"You can't be sure."

"Absolutely sure, no. I didn't know the man. But, the ribbon was a good indication. Some men are brave by chance or circumstance. Some men are brave by their nature. They're duty driven and their worst fear is of failing their obligation or cowardice. Nothing they'll ever face scares them more than the thought of running away. The medal suggests he was brave by nature. That, when the time came, he'd have managed to overcome his fear and do his duty."

"Like Charles Bronson," Chip said.

"What?"

"The Great Escape, the tunnel," Chip said. "I don't guess it's really the same, though, since it was to escape not to fight. Never mind."

He sighed and shook his head. "Never mind this whole conversation. I'm not thinking straight or I'm thinking way too much, one or the other. Maybe both."

"Chip-"

"I'm just tired, sir," Chip interrupted. He stood. "I'm going to turn in, try to get some sleep."

Chip walked behind the curtain and slowly made his way in the near dark of the med area. He sat on the cot and stared into the shadows in Lee's direction.

"What's wrong?" Lee asked. "Other than the obvious."

"Nothing." Chip's answer hung in silence a few seconds before he spoke again.

"I'm scared I'll puke."

"Are you sick?"

"Not now, tomorrow. I was sitting there thinking about tomorrow and all of a sudden I was seeing that hill go up and what would come back down. It made me sick just thinking about it. Then, I thought what if I get sick for real? What if I'm throwing up when I'm supposed to be saving you?"

"You won't."

"Lee, it's involuntary. Nobody does it for fun, it just happens. What if I do?"

"You won't."

"I could."

"You won't. And, even if you did, it's just a few seconds."

"It doesn't matter if it's only a split second if it's the wrong split second. Miro and his damned timing. First, I have to wait. I have to just stand there and watch and wait. Then, what if I trip, what if I stumble, what if I'm standing there hurling like a six year old while you're getting killed?"

"Chip, you're not going to throw up. Unless you keep this up and talk yourself into it. Change the subject."

**NOTE: Please click my author's name and check my bio for a message about this story.**


	14. Chapter 14

Harry barely heard a low murmur of conversation coming from the back of the bunker. No words were discernible, only voices. The sound relieved him. Whatever Chip was grappling with was better hashed out between him and Lee rather than soothed by Harry's anecdotes or awkward platitudes. No part of Harry's explanations and examples would have been news to Chip. Chip knew as well as Harry did that battlefields weren't divided between heroes and cowards. Battles were most often waged by men simply forced by circumstance to fight for their own lives and those of their fellow combatants.

There were exceptions; the true cowards and the truly courageous. And, if ever two men were brave by instinct and nature, it was the two talking now behind the curtain. Nelson would never doubt Chip in battle and had never before known him to doubt himself. But, never before had he faced an order to be still, forbidden to act. To possibly watch a brother die then be forced to scavenge his remains from a sea of carnage. Harry imagined it was the inaction, and the consequences of not acting, that most disturbed him. To only stand by and watch contradicted Chip's nature. To stand by and watch Lee die… No doubt that preyed on Chip's mind most, just as it did Harry's. To be duty bound to be still and watch Lee die, die by a device fashioned by Harry's own hand.

Much as he'd tried to quell it, that fact had hovered relentlessly on the edge of Harry's consciousness as he assembled the explosive charges. Knowing, as he handed each finished piece over to Chip, it could be the one that ended Lee's life. It was a fact that didn't matter, that couldn't interfere. Harry was a commander and, at war, wouldn't hesitate to use any honorable means to win, order any sacrifice he deemed necessary. The demands of duty would force Lee down that hill and force Harry to stay still at it's foot. As a commander, Harry knew victory was the objective and resultant consequences were irrelevant. Harry, though, wasn't in command here. He was a man facing battle for a country not his own. This time, contrary to all other times he'd fought, victory was secondary in his concerns and losing the battle was not his greatest fear. Harry lit a cigarette and looked towards the curtain that hid his men from view.

Chip sighed and fell back onto the cot.

"I don't know why I ran my mouth to the admiral like I did," Chip said. "I think he thinks I've lost my nerve. I think I got away just in time." Chip cringed as he spoke the next sentence. "I think he was about to console me."

"No wonder. Under the circumstances, it's normal for anybody to be nervous or -"

Chip cut Lee off in mid sentence.

"You're not trying to console me, are you?"

"Outside the vomit thing, no."

"Good. Because, outside the vomit thing, I'm fine."

"I know."

**NOTE:** I know this isn't much, but it's the best I can do for now. I'm posting it just to reiterate that I have **NOT** abandoned the stories and will finish them as soon as I can.


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